Homily from Sunday September 04th & 05th – 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Since science and medicine cannot fully explain miracles, and because there is a miracle in today’s Gospel; I have a short explanation for the situation.
A scientist was conversing with God and told Him blatantly, “you know God, we can transplant just about every organ, we can replace arms, legs and so much more. It seems to me we just don’t need you anymore, God”.
And God, in His quiet way replied, “Well, you think so! Let’s have a contest and make a person”. OK, and the scientist enthusiastically reached down and grabbed a handful of dirt. Oh, no! God stopped him – Get your own dirt!
It is a group of friends that brought the man to Christ for healing, because they had faith in Christ’s power to heal.
A study of new members who join churches has revealed that a vast majority of them were moved to come to church because someone (brought) invited them.
This is by far the best method of achieving results. The personal invitation is the most effective form of evangelism. We need to ask ourselves who have we invited to our church?
The deaf person was healed because he was brought to Christ. We do not know why he did not come on his own. There are people around today who when asked why they do not attend church – their answer- Because we have never been asked.
The use of spittle in Christ’s time was common, of course, health cures come and go. And this was not the only time when Christ would use spit in the healing process – probably to use it strengthened the faith of the one being healed, knowing of its widespread use in healing.
The second reading from James describes something we all know about… that we are very quick to judge people by our superficial standards, perhaps by the way they look or act. We are drawn to the nice lookers, the movers and shakers and tend to dismiss others too easily. St. James calls us to see beyond appearances in people to the deeper image that they have value in God’s eyes, as Christ values them.
The miracles of Jesus are signs that to believe in him is to live in hope and expectation. As for the people who witnessed this miracle of healing – they were astounded beyond measure. Jesus performed this miracle because the man really wanted to be healed. And Jesus offers us his healing touch in areas of our lives that tend to cripple us; but the one necessary condition is that we really want to be healed; we cannot read the Gospel with any kind of objectivity without realizing that healing was a major mission of Jesus.
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